Julien’s Premieres Select Diana, Royal Items Ahead of Auction – WorthPoint

Princess Diana was the epitome of grace and style, and since her death, many of her dresses, other clothing, and accessories have gone up for auction. On June 27, 2024, Julien’s Auctions, a valued WorthPoint Industry Partner, will offer a select group of accessories and clothing items worn by the princess, as well as some lots from the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, letters from Diana to friends and even a nightgown that belonged to Queen Victoria. In the latest auction of royal-owned items, “Princess Diana’s Elegance & a Royal Collection,” Julien’s has curated a collection that showcases elegance and history.

Julien’s is currently touring some of the well-known pieces from the collection in anticipation of the upcoming sale, which royal watchers anticipate will attract bids from around the world. In Hong Kong on May 6, 2024, a pop-up exhibition at K11 MUSEA was a mega-hit, with over 9,000 fans and followers visiting the exhibit.

After Hong Kong, the selected pieces premiered in New York City at the Carlyle Hotel—a favorite of the Princess whenever she traveled to New York. WorthPoint was there to view an exclusive selection of pieces from the collection and to hear directly from Julien’s co-founders, Darren Julien and Martin Nolan, about how the collection came together and what bidders and royal enthusiasts could expect.

A ROYAL LOCATION

Rather than a ballroom, conference area, or lobby, the clothes, shoes, and purses were perfectly displayed in Suite 2209, known as the Royal Suite. Diana has stayed there, as have other members of the Royal Family, including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. However, the suite is not limited to royal guests; it has hosted actor George Clooney, singer Michael Jackson, and President John F. Kennedy.

The suite, also decorated with photos of Diana wearing some of the pieces, felt like glimpsing into the past to see the shoes, bags, and clothing documented in her engagements then beautifully showcased around the room. Being in a classic landmark NYC hotel and knowing she had spent time in that space added just the right touch of glamour and gravitas while serving as a tribute to the late princess.

The view of Manhattan from the large windows only added to the atmosphere of elegance, and it was easy to imagine the guests who stayed in the suite gazing out to see some of the New York skyline in the distance.

A CACHE OF ELEGANCE

The selected items will go under the hammer on June 27, 2024, in Los Angeles, and the lots include several pieces from different private collections and other items that were part of the Christie’s June 1997 sale to which Diana had donated several items. A charity, Muscular Dystrophy UK, will receive the proceeds from some items, such as the Rayne white and red leather clutch purse, which Diana carried on a tour of Japan while trying on a silk kimono.

Julien’s included the bag in the preview at the Carlyle, along with other accessories. Items in her wardrobe were always carefully matched to her engagements and tours, and her hats were always spot on. A red and cream lacquered straw hat, worn by the princess while visiting Australia in 1985, sat among other items, looking smaller but no less stylish than it did in the video of her visit to St. Paul’s Cathedral and the Royal Botanical Gardens in Melbourne.

The most recognized dress in the auction is a Murray Arbeid midnight blue tulle diamante star gown. The princess first wore the dress in July 1986 to a dinner at Claridge’s for King Constantine of Greece. In October 1986, Diana wore the dress again to the premiere of The Phantom of the Opera in London and once more in December 1987 to a ballet performance of Cinderella at the Royal Opera House in London.

According to the lot description for the dress’s auction listing, Diana knew the time and cost of making her clothes. She often wore dresses to multiple events so the designers would gain more attention and acclaim for all their hard work. The dress was another piece originally part of the June 1997 auction of her clothing. For the upcoming Julien’s auction, the dress will include a copy of the magazine Diana: A Life In Fashion: Part Six, published by The Daily Mail.

Hats, purses, and dresses, oh my, but what about shoes? Princess Diana never stepped out for an engagement or event without every piece of her outfit being perfectly put together. Several pairs of shoes are available in the auction, and one pair, showcased at the Carlyle preview, is an example of Diana’s timeless elegance.

Made in a stunning shade of emerald green satin and lined with metallic gold leather, the shoes came from the London-based design house Kurt Geiger. Diana wore the shoes in November 1993 to a state banquet at the Dorchester Hotel for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia.

BEYOND DIANA

While the upcoming auction is chock-full of stunning pieces owned by the People’s Princess, there is much more at hand, including several pieces from the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. Wallis Simpson was also a style icon, even if she never held the title of Princess of Wales. One of the dresses is a classic Hubert de Givenchy haute couture evening gown of silk crepe with a bejeweled waist that she wore to an elegant dinner with President Nixon and his wife Pat at the White House in 1970.

There are also items from her husband, the Duke of Windsor, including pipes and a bespoke cotton dress shirt, monogrammed with a crown and the initial “E” on the left front of the shirt.

Finally, the last lot of the auction, but certainly not the least, is a cotton nightgown from Queen Victoria. Dating from the 19th century, the gown is edged in lace, embroidered with “VR 36,” and a crown emblem near the placket.

The auction promises to be spectacular, as most royal clothing auctions are. Collectors and fans of Diana and other royals will surely find something to admire, even if the bids go beyond their means. The auction will be held live in Los Angeles on July 27, 2024, with bids accepted via telephone and online.

Brenda Kelley Kim lives in the Boston area. She is the author of Sink or Swim: Tales From the Deep End of Everywhere and writes a weekly syndicated column for The Marblehead Weekly News/Essex Media Group. When not writing or walking her snorty pug, Penny, she enjoys yard sales, flea markets, and badminton.

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